Shield for wounds.



E. cLs E fis'. SHIELD FUR'WQUNDS.

(Application filed Aug. 17, 1900.)

Patented Aug. 6, 190:.

(No Model'.)

- UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE.

EDWARD OROSSMAN .SHEARS, OF LAKOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT-ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SPLINT-GATE BANDAGE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SHIELD FOR woUNos.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 679, 18, dated August .6, Application filed August 17, 1900. Serial No. 27,168- (No model-l To all whom it may concern).- Be it known that I, EDWARD ,CRossMAN SHEARS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lakota, in thev county of Nelson and State of North Dakota, have inventeda new and Improved Shield for Wounds, of which the following is a full,-clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a shield for attachment to a surgical splint or to be used in connection with plaster-ofparis, starch, or other form of bandage or splint for the safe and convenient septic or antiseptic treatment and protection of wounds and injuries, wherever situated on the body, and also for the inclosure, care, and treatment .of boils, carbuncles, and the like, as well as fractures and dislocations of the fingers, toes, and other members of the body.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a view showing in perspective two forms of the device, one form being illustrated as applied to the arm of a person be.- tween' the shoulder and, the elbow and the other form of the device being illustrated as applied to fingers of, the hand. Fig. 2 is a plan view.of the device which is applied to the fingers of the hand, the said device being shown open. Fig; .3 is a transverse section through the formi'of the device shown in Fig.

2. Fig. 4 is a plan view-of that form of the device which is shown applied between the shoulder and elbow, the cover being shown open. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the form of the device shown in Fig. 4 with the cover open, and Fig.- 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device shown in the other figures.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated in detail that form of the device which is especially adapted for application to fleshy portions of the body, and in this form of the device a ringlike body A is provided, which is so curved as to fit the surface-of the body to which it is to be applied or to the exterior portion of the bandage or splint which is located directly over the wound to be treated.

Usually this body portion A is provided with peripheral extensions 10, having slots '13 therein, through which slots may be passed strips of adhesive plaster for the purpose of holding the device firmly upon the surface to whichit is to be applied, said adhesive strips being designated as 14. In connection with the body A a cap or cover B is employed. This cap or cover consists of a ring-like frame 11 and a body'12,

which is constructed of a foraminous material, either-reticulated or perforated. Usually is applied to a splint or to a bandage an open-.

ing is to be made in the splint or bandage, which opening-will expose the wound when desirable. Therefore by opening the cover B the wound is accessible and may be treated as may be found necessary without removing the bandages or the splint unless they absolutely need renewing, thus obviating unnecessary pain or inconvenience to the'patient.

The cover B maybe held firmly on the body A in any suitable or approved manner. Usually said cover 13 is hinged to the body and is fastened over the opening therein by means of a hook 14, attached to the body and arranged to enter a staple 15 on the cover, asis shownin Figs. 4 and 5.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated in detail a form of the device which is particularly adapted to the treatment of injuries to the fingers of a hand. This form of the device comprises two sections 0 and D, which have a hinged connection. Each of said members 0 and D consists, preferably, of a longitudinal frame 16 of U-shaped formation and a 'transverseframe 17, which is connected with the longitudinalframe at the free ends of the sections may be made of such sizethat col,-.

lectively they will surround one or more of the fingers of the hand, as shown in Fig. 1, or surround a bandage that has beemwrapp'edaround the fingers.

bers C and D the wound 'may be readily reached and treated as found necessary.

At'the inner'on open ends of the members or sections and D of the finger-protective device (illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3) staples.

are formed upon one of the members of the longitudinal frames 16, and a tape or string 2l is passed through these staples 20 tofacilitate fastening the device at the wrist,

as shown in Fig. 1-. The two members or sections 0 and D may be secured together in any suitable or approved manner-as, for ex ample, by placing a book 22 upon one member or section adapted to engage with a keeper 23'on the opposing section.

In Fig. 61 have illustrated a slight deviation from the forms ofthe device heretofore described to the extent that the body of the device consists of asuitably-formed shield 24, having an. opening 25 therein, and means for attachment to a bandage or splint or for attachment to that portion of t he bodysurrounding the surface at which the. wound occurs. The opening 25 in the shield is adapted to be exposed orto be closed by a cover suit-ably shaped, which cover comprises a frame 26, hinged to the shield, and a body portion 27, attached to the cover and made from gauze ora like material. The cover may be secured upon the shield in any suitable manner-for example, through the medium of hooks 28, carried by theshield and adapted for engagement with keepers 29, located on the cover.

These devices are intended as a valuable addition to every practitioners armamentarium, and through their use it will be'found that certain injuries and wounds maybe more conveniently treated and better dressed than where appliances are used without the employmentofthedevicesdescribed. Theelements of cleanliness, lightness, and strength have all been embodied in the construction of the improved devices, rendering them in no sense burdensome, but a distinct gain in comfort over other devices.

I desire it to be understood that the frames or body portions of the devices are preferably made of aluminium or other light material suitable for such use, so that the devices in their entiretymsy be readily sterilized and In this case an opening may be made in the bandage at that portion over thewound, and by separating the memwill not be undesirably affected by any of the agents employed to cleanse and dress wounds:

The shield facilitates thedressing of wounds of the'extremities, since by means of a fenest-rum easily and quickly made in any splint, plaster-of-paris, or otherwise the Wound may be directly. exposed and dressed as often as required without removingthe entire splint or the. bandages, thus causing the patient no painor nervous shock and placing the wound in the best condition for repair. Continuous irrigation may be easily kept up, and at the same time the splint or splints will be in position affording assurance to the surgeon that fractures will be kept in apposition. Should a dry dressing be determined upon, it may also be applied easily and quickly by opening the cover of the gate applied to the fenestrum in the splint and'after the medication has been applied to the wound placing in position the gauze or cotton needed. By then closing the cover allthe dressing beneath saidcover will be retained in proper position. More dressings may be placed upon the upper surface of the cover and bandaged on in order to insure non-contamination from the air.

The finger-splinter.protective device will be found exceedingly valuable as a substitute for a splint and also as a means of retaining dressings applied to the tin gers, a1fordin g also a convenient means for inspecting the parts without disturbance to them.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenty L A shield for wounds, comprising two skeleton frames hinged together and constructed to fit around and over a wound when closed one upon the other, said shield having a foraminous covering and provided with apertured projections through'which a flexible securing-strip is adapted to be'passed, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. A shield for wounds, comprising a rigid frame having an opening therein and adapted to be placed over a wound or an opening in the dressing therefor, said frame being pro vided with means whereby it maybe secured in position, a second rigid frame hinged to the first frame and having an opening covered with reticulated material, and means for locking theframes together, substantially as described.

3. A shield for wounds, comprising two ring-like hinged frames having means for locking the'm together, one of the frames being provided with slotted peripheralprojections and the other with a reticulating covering, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to-this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD CROSSMAN SHEARS. Witnesses:

H. G. MERRITT,'

S. A. FLOREN. 

